From the Oz, page 7 by ‘that man’ Ean Higgens with an exclusive from Mar De Stoop, president AOPA. [My Bold].
Quote:
The association representing general aviation has called for a moratorium on forcing aircraft owners to spend considerable amounts of money to introduce a new navigation system championed by Air· services Australia chairman Angus Houston.
Marc De Stoop, the president ol the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, says while aviators support the G PS-based system, the costs have proved exorbitant for little practical gain.
AOPA has adopted a new policy calling on air regulators to delay the compulsory introduction of the avionics for Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast by at least four years.
Such a policy would allow the US to catch up to Australia’s accelerated introduction of the technology, and reduce equipment costs as American economies of scale and mass production gear up. Owners of aircraft that operate under instrument flight rules – generally bigger, higher-flying commercial aircraft- have been progressively required to install ADS-B equipment on their planes, with all to be equipped by 2017.
AOPA wants a moratorium on this requirement, until a year after full introduction in the US, currently set for 2020.
Sir Angus has been a strong promoter of the rapid roll-out of ADS-B.
“Austra1ia is a world leader in the implementation of satellite based technology because it provides enormous safety and service benefit,” he said last week.
Under ADS-B. aircraft are equipped with satellite GPS systems, which determine their position, direction, speed and altitude with great precision, with that information relayed in real time to air traffic controllers via ground stations.
AOPA says ADS-B could enable controllers to “see” aircraft in areas not covered by radar.
“We see safety benefits in having more of Australian airspace under air traffic control with positive aircraft separation by ATC staff,” Mr De Stoop, a private pilot who runs a medical evacuation service with two Dassault Falcon 20 jets, said.
But in practice AOPA members had seen few practical gains from ADS-B, which cost Mr De Stoop $75,000 to install per aircraft and other owners as much as $120,000perplane.
The problem, he said, is that since they are often the first worldwide to install ADS-B, Australian owners are having to pay for specialised “first of type” engineering.
Might be time to dust off the application form and re-join the AOPA; this is a breath of fresh air coming from what has been a moribund organisation for the last few years. Good on you Marc; full support from Aunty Pru.
Anyone got the ministers private number?
Then there’s some waffle from Houston on the same page:-
From the Oz, page 7 by ‘that man’ Ean Higgens and Houston.
Quote:
Airservices Australia chairman Angus Houston has declined an opportunity to justify almost $800,000 in bonuses to II executives for their performance in 2013-14 as profits halved, key air safety indicators deteriorated and employment of women, indigenous people and the disabled moved backwards.
Quote:
The bonuses will be examined by a Senate committee that is also investigating a corporate credit card rort and claims, which have not been denied by Airservices, of some executives being on travel allowances of$90,000.
Quote:
Ms Staib said her bonus, for her performance in 2013-14, was “linked to delivery of industry supported outcomes” including “the successful introduction of advanced technology along with new infrastructure and services”.
There’s a lot of puff and wind in the Oz today; perhaps the latest hot air balloon has just been released; can’t wait for the Senators to put a rather large hole in the ASA bloated blimp.
Safety, (bonuses) Alignment, (bonuses) Harmonisation, (bonuses) Courage, (bonuses) and Flatulence (no bonus). Cui bono – Only way to go
MTF – Oh; you bet.
